- Folderol, A Parisian cafe, was shot to TikTok fame after a celebrity post drew tourist crowds.
- Attempts to curb disturbance backfired as restrictions provoked defiance and chasing clout.
- The saga shows viral online fame’s double-edged sword – rocketing acceleration that can rupture carefully built local communities.
Parisian Fame Turns to Nightmare
A tiny Parisian bar ballooned into a TikTok phenomenon but now struggles to balance its newfound influencer stampede against loyal neighborhood patrons.
Joint wine and ice cream cafe Folderol, run by couple Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon, shot 95 million TikTok views after singer Dua Lipa’s Instagram shoutout. The online hype then turned treacherous.
Viral fame brought throngs crowding outside vying for their photos, provoking police over noise complaints.
But the tourist-heavy crowds scared away their core local customers.
Compagnon felt only one viral-chasing demographic remained, imperiling the carefully nurtured community around Folderol for years.
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The Takeover
Returning regulars stopped returning as queues and clout-chasing antics took over.
The owners unsuccessfully tried enforcing “no TikTok” rules and even a bouncer to curb disturbance.
But restrictions sometimes increase the provocative allure of those seeking to defy them publicly.
Folderol’s barely-existent social media presence meant it was unprepared when notoriety swiftly struck.
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“Saying No to Money”
Kitchen capacity lagged demand as staff grew bored of repetitive orders.
For Compagnon, zealous online attention feels like “saying no to money” by deterring it.
However, allowing influencers to horde risks erasing the venue’s intimate, authentic origins.
Viral fame has relatively receded in the slow winter season, he says.
But even in December, lingering notoriety tags Folderol apart from relative Parisian obscurity.
The saga epitomizes the fickle double-edged sword of digital stardom built atop real-world foundations. Rocketship online acceleration can rupture carefully constructed local communities.
Folderol’s owners now balance hoping their brush with notoriety passes while keeping the lights on thanks to its temporary gifts. For myriad small businesses, online celebrity delivers both lifeblood and existential threat.
